Kodak Polychrome Graphics, Gmbh

Eastman-kodak Company

James Laurence Mulligan

Eric E Clark

Kevin Barry Ray

Shashikant Saraiya

Anthony Paul Kitson

Frederic E Mikell

Alan Stanley Monk

Jianbing Huang

David B Bailey

Ting Tao

Jayanti Patel

Scott A Beckley

Christopher David McCullough

John Kalamen

Peter Andrew Reath Bennett

Kevin Wieland

Gareth Rhodri Parsons

Mark John Spowage

Carole-Anne Smith

Stuart Bayes

David Stephen Riley

John David Riches

Larisa Novoselova

Richard David Hoare

John Andrew Hearson

Joseph Hunter

Saraiya Shashikant

Positive-working imageable elements have a substrate and an imageable layer that can be used to prepare lithographic printing plates. The imageable elements also include a radiation absorbing compound, and a mixture of first and second polymers in the same imageable layer. The first polymer has two or more centered H-bonds (hydrogen bonds) within a non-covalently bonded unit, and the second polymer is a polyvinyl acetal. This mixture of polymers in the same imageable layer provides improved solvent resistance and processing latitude without a loss in imaging speed.

Positive-working imageable elements

Both single-layer and multilayer imageable elements have a substrate and at least one imageable layer. The elements can be used to prepare either negative- or positive-working imaged elements, for example as lithographic printing plates. The imageable elements also include a radiation absorbing compound and a solvent-resistant polymer comprising pendant phosphoric acid groups, pendant adamantyl groups, or both. When this polymer comprises pendant adamantyl groups, they are connected to the polymer backbone through a urea or urethane group. The imageable elements have improved chemical resistance and thermal bakeability from the presence of the unique solvent-resistant polymer.

Imageable members with improved chemical resistance

Single-layer and multilayer imageable elements have a substrate and at least one imageable layer and can be used to prepare positive-working lithographic printing plates. The imageable elements also include a radiation absorbing compound and a solvent-resistant polymer binder comprising an &#x2014;N(R)&#x2014;C(&#x2550;X)&#x2014;N(R')&#x2014;S(&#x2550;O)&#x2014; moiety that is attached to the polymer backbone, wherein X is O or S, R and R&#x2032; are independently hydrogen, halo, or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms. This solvent-resistant polymer binder is located in the imageable layer closest to the substrate and provides improved chemical resistance.

Positive-working imageable elements are prepared by providing a first layer and second layers onto a substrate. Both layers include the same or different radiation absorbing compounds dispersed within different polymeric binders. After both layers are dried, they are heat treated at from about 40 to about 90&#xb0; C. for at least 4 hours under conditions that inhibit the removal of moisture from the dried first and second layers. This method of preparation provides elements with improved imaging speed and good shelf life.

Heat treatment of multilayer imageable elements

Imageable elements, useful as on press developable lithographic printing plate precursors, are disclosed. The elements comprise an imageable layer over a substrate and an one or more adhesion promoting ingredients. The imageable layer comprises a polymerizable compound and a polymeric binder. The adhesion promoting ingredients are titanium chelate and/or co-polymers of a monomer having a polethylene oxide side chain with a monomer having either an acidic group or an anhydride group that has been ring opened to form an acidic group or groups.

Adhesion promoting ingredients for on-press developable lithographic printing plate precursors

Assemblages that comprise a donor element and a receptor are disclosed. The donor element comprises a binder and particles of a cyanoacrylate polymer. The assemblages can be thermally imaged to form lithographic printing plates.

Imageable elements containing cyanoacrylate polymer particles

The present invention provides a processless printing plate precursor including a thermally sensitive layer applied onto a substrate. The thermally sensitive layer includes polycyanoacrylate particles having a major dimension between about 50 and about 500 nm, and a mean major dimension of no greater than about 350 nm. The printing plate precursor may be exposed to radiation and may then be developed 'on press' with a suitable fountain solution.

Thermally sensitive compositions containing cyanoacrylate polymers

The present invention provides a top coat layer for a printing plate precursor. The top coat layer includes polycyanoacrylate particles, but is substantially free of photothermal conversion material. The topcoat layer may be applied onto a thermally sensitive layer containing polycyanoacrylate particles and a photothermal conversion material. The top coat layer may reduce ablation during radiation exposure without adversely affecting printing plate performance.

Top coat layer for thermally sensitive printing plates

The present invention provides a positive working imageable composition, which includes a hydroxyfunctional resin comprising a covalently bound radiation sensitive group capable of increasing the solubility of the imageable composition in an alkaline developer upon exposure to radiation; and an isocyanate crosslinking agent. The present invention further provides an imageable element, which includes a substrate and an imageable composition according to the present invention coated on a surface of the substrate and a method of producing an imaged element according to the present invention. Also provided is a radiation sensitive hydroxyfunctional resin including a covalently bound radiation sensitive group capable of increasing solubility in an alkaline developer of an imageable composition derived therefrom upon exposure of the imageable composition to radiation.

Isocyanate crosslinked imageable compositions

Pattern formation

Polymeric compounds

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Fort Collins, CO, United States of America

James Laurence Mulligan